Massimiliano Ladovaz, Chief Technical Officer at OneWeb, said: “JoeySat reflects the spirit of innovation and collaboration in space and promises to enable OneWeb to continue enhancing the performance and capabilities of our high-speed, low-latency satellite network to areas in need. The innovation behind JoeySat would not be possible without ESA and the UK Space Agency, and we thank them for their invaluable partnership.”

Paul Bate, Chief Executive of the UK Space Agency, said: “OneWeb’s JoeySat will be a game-changer for satellite communications, offering the chance to improve people’s lives through reliable connectivity, whether that means better broadband services in remote places, or the ability to respond more effectively to emergency situations.

“As part of our priority to deliver missions and capabilities to our flourishing space sector, the UK Space Agency has invested more than £50 million into the mission, funding both the innovative technology behind JoeySat’s creation and the development of a wider ecosystem that will ensure a reliable and sustainable end-to-end service.”

Javier Benedicto, Acting Director of Telecommunications and Integrated Applications at ESA, said: “ESA’s Partnership Projects maximise the benefits to agile space companies in Europe thanks to efficient co-management tailored to the best commercial practices. The Joeysat satellite demonstrator for OneWeb’s next-generation constellation is a superb example of this cooperation.”